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It all started when a teacher at Soaring Eagle Elementary School in Colorado Springs asked her class to collect objects in quantities of 100 in celebration of the 100th day of school, Monday, Jan. 24.

Six year-old Jacarri McKinley turned the homework assignment into a community service project by collecting socks, more specifically, 100 pairs of new socks in all colors and sizes. You might say the kindergarten student jumped right in, feet first.

According to his mother, Brandi McKinley, Jacarri helped her write an ad for Craig’s List by dictating some of the wording. “It will help me get a good grade,” he said, “and help me give back to my community.”

He plans to donate all 100 pairs of socks to a hospital or shelter, but not until after his project is graded.

What made him decide on socks instead of paper clips or macaroni? “Holey and ugly socks are embarrassing to me,” he said. “My mom doesn’t know this, but sometimes I throw mine away when I put a hole in them.”

McKinley said Jacarri is just really into socks, whether red, black or fuzzy. “All kinds except tube socks,” she said, and there’s no dress code against wearing colorful socks with the school uniform.

To promote his project, Jacarri did a bit of publicity, hanging a poster on the community mailbox near the family’s home in south Colorado Springs. His dad, Spc. Kenneth McKinley, took a poster to work. But the majority of donations have come from family members.

When Jacarri heads to school on Monday he’ll need a little help carrying all those socks. They come from nearly 100 zip codes. “It’s going to be a big surprise to his teacher,” McKinley said.

The project has been so much fun that Jacarri plans to continue even after reaching his goal. “He’s a really giving person,” said McKinley. He loves passing down his toys to his younger brothers, Kenneth, 2 and Brandon, 1.

Jacarri is already planning ahead for next year, McKinley said. “He thinks if it worked for socks maybe it will work with candy.” FFG